Electric igniter device



May 2, 1961 M. RODELLI ELECTRIC IGNITER DEVICE Filed May 1, 1958 2 R .Al

INVENTOR. MICHAEL RODELLI ATTORNEY United States Patent cc 2,982,882Patented May 2, 1961 ELECTRIC IGNITER DEVICE Michael Rodelli, 329 2ndSt., Brooklyn, N.Y.

Filed May 1, 1958, Ser. No. 732,270

3 Claims. (Cl. 317-95 This invention relates to the art of electricigniters and particularly concerns a novel device for lighting gas jets,cigars and cigarettes and the like.

According to the invention there is provided an electric spark-producingdevice which utilizes a solenoid for generating the spark. A vibratingcontact is provided at the point of spark generation. The contact coactwith an associated pivotable contact. The latter contact is adjustablymounted and the vibrating contact is so shaped that sparking fields ofdifferent configuration are obtainable depending on the position of theadjustable contact.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide anelectric igniter which operates by generating sparks by means of avibrating contact.

A further object is to provide an electric igniter having a vibratingcontact so shaped that sparking fields of different configuration aregenerated thereby.

A still further object is to provide an electric igniter including anadjustable contact so that sparking fields of different configurationare generated thereby.

A still further object is to provide an electric igniter adapted forselectively igniting a gas jet or a cigarette.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is an elevational view of a device embodying the invention, partsbeing broken away.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a'sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on line 3-3 ofFig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view on an enlarged scale of portions of thevibrating contact and adjustable contact employed in the device.

Fig. 6 is a plan sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a generally cylindrical casing10 which 'is open at opposite ends. Through one end passes an electriccord 12. The cord terminates in a plug 14. Inside the casing the cordterminates in exposed wires and 16. The upper end of the casing isformed with an interio'r shoulder 18 on which is seated a cylindricalportion 20 of a core 22. This core is formed of insulation material suchas plastic or the like. The core has 8. depending partially cylindricalstem 24 provided with recesses 26, 27, 28. Longitudinally disposed alongstem 24 at the center of the curved side thereof i a metal strip 30.This strip terminates below the stem where it is attached to wire 15 bysolder or the like. Strip 30 is provided with laterally extending arms32 which are seated in recess 27 and which secure the strip to the stem.

A spring contact strip 34 having arms 35 seated in recesses 25 isdisposed at the fiat side 37 of the stem. Wire l6 is secured to strip 34by solder or the like. The strip 34 is bent to form a double loop asshown in Fig. 2 and terminates in a free tongue 38. The free end of thetongue is normally spaced from the stem. An insulated push button 39 ismovably disposed in slot 49 in the casing and is secured to tongue 38.When this button is pressed inwardly, the tongue contacts a soft ironcore member 42.

The lower end of the cylindrical core member 42 is exposed at the flatface 37 of the stem. The core member extends upwardly through a bore 44formed in the upper spool portion 45 of the core 22. Core member 42 hasa central rectangular bore 46 in which is movably mounted a soft ironcontact A coil spring 47 in bore 46 beneath contact 48 biases thecontact upwardly. Wound on spool portion 45 is a coil 50. One end 51 ofthe coil is disposed in a recess 52 in core portion 20 and is connectedto the upper end of strip 30 in recess 26. The other end of the coil isconnected to a ring 54 mounted in the top of spool 45. This ring makescontinuous contact with contact 56. Contact 56 is a Hat metal strip bentin the form of an arched loop and having inwardly extending fingers 58engaged in a recess 59 formed below head 60. Head 60 is formed as anextension at the upper end of spool 45.

Core member 42 extends upwardly through head 60 and contact 48 extendsbeyond core member 42. The contact 48 has a rectangular body. its upperpointed end 49 is normally pressed into Contact with the inner uppermostpoint of contact 56. A pair of arcuate wings 62 are formed on and extendoutwardly from the body of contact 48. These wings have curved outeredges 64 and rather pointed free ends 63. When the contact 48 is in theposition shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the upper pointed ends 63 of wings 62are out of contact with the inner sides of contact 56, since the w ngsextend in a plane perpendicular to the central plane of the contact 56.When the contact 56 is rotated angularly through 90 the pointed ends 63of the wings contact the inner side of contact 56 at two points asclearly shown in Fig. 5. The upper end '49 of contact 48 is then spacedfrom the inner uppermost point of contact 56.

A pin 66 formed of insulation material is threaded in contact 56 nearthe base thereof. This pin extends outwardly through a slot 68 in head79. Hood 70 is a generally cylindrical metal cap mounted in a recess 72on the upper end of casing 10. This hood has alter nately slits 74 andround opening 74 spaced circumferenti ally at the upper narrower taperedend of the hood. Screw 75 serves to secure the hood to the casing. Thecasing may be made of some non-inflammable material other than metal.Contact 56 should be spaced from the hood in all positions thereof. Byturning pin 66 as a handle the contact 56 can be set to a desiredposition with respect to contact 48.

Jhon contact 56 is turned from the position shown in Pig. 3 to theposition shown in Fig. 5 and vice versa, contact 48 remains stationarybecause of its disposition in rectangular bore 46. The curved outeredges 64 of wings 62 contact the inner sides of contact 56 while causinga slight downward or inward movement of Contact 48 into bore 46 againstthe tension in spring 47 so that the upper pointed end 49 of contact 43is spaced from the contact 56 as shown in Fig. 5.

In operation of the device, contact 56 is preferably in the positionshown in Figs. 2 and 3 to ignite a gas jet. llug 14 will be inserted ina suitable source of power. The device will be held in the hand of theuser who will insert the hood 70 into the vicinity of the deviceemitting gas to be ignited. Upon pressing button 39, the solenoidconsisting of coil 50 and core member 42 will be energized. Core member42 will become magnetized due to the application of electric current tothe coil. It will be noted that the point where contact end 49 touchescontact 56 is in the electrical circuit. As the core member 42 becomesmagnetized, contact 48 will be drawn down away from contact 56 againsttension in spring 47 while the electric circuit will be broken. The highinductance of the coil causes a spark to be generated at the brokenpoint of contact. When the circuit is broken, spring 47 returns thecontact 48 to its normal position touching contact 56, to restore themagnetizing circuit. The succes'sion of sparks thus generated willignite the gas which enters the hood through slits 74 and the roundopenings 74*.

When it is desired to ignite a cigarette, cigar or the like with thedevice, a different shaped sparking field is desired. It is now'desirable that sparking be generated at more than one point and thedevice be adapted to receive the end of the article to be ignited. Whencontact 56 is turned by means of handle 66, the wings 42 face broadsideto the round openings 74 A cylindrical article such as a cigarette canbe inserted in a round opening 74 as far as the wings 62. Upon pressingbutton 39, sparking will occur at two points 63 at the ends of wings 62.Only 'a slight vibration of the contact wings 62 is necessary togenerate the double sparking which will ignite the cigarette. When thecontact 56 is rotated to produce only a single spark from the pointedend 49 the spark will have a greater intensity than the double sparksproduced at points 63, but the sparks at points 63 occupy a greatersparking field area which is desirable when igniting a cylindricalarticle such as a cigarette.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise construction herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is: 1

1. An electrical igniter comprising a hollow tubular casing, a hoodmountedover one end of the casing, said hood having a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced apertures therein, a core mounted within thecasing, a solenoid carried by said core, a vibratory contact mounted forreciprocation in the solenoid and having a contact point, spring meansurging said vibratory contact outwardly from the solenoid, a U-shapedcontact pivotally carried by said core, a handle secured to the'U-shaped contact and extending through the hood for pivoting the.U-shaped contact on said core, said U-shaped contact being mounted overthe vibratory contact, a switch, said solenoid being in circuit withsaid switch and the contacts, and means for applying electric power tosaid circuit whereby sparks are produced between the contacts, saidvibratory contact being formed with laterally extending wings havingpointed ends, said vibratory contact having a pointed free end normallyin contact with the U-shaped contact in one position of the U-shapedcontact to produce a spark of ,high intensity in a narrow field, thepointed ends of the wings being normally in contact with the U-shapedcontact with the pointed free end of the vibratory contact spaced fromthe U-shaped contact in another position of the U-shaped contact on thesupport to produce a plurality of sparks in a wide sparking field,certain of said apertures being round for admitting a cylindricalarticle to be ignited by the sparks generated at the ends of the wingsin said other position of the U- shaped contact.

2. An electrical igniter comprising a hollow tubular casing, a hoodmounted over one end of the casing, said hood having a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced apertures therein, a core mounted within thecasing, a solenoid carried by said core, a vibratory contact mounted forreciprocation in the solenoid and having a contact point, spring meansurging said vibratory contact outwardly from the solenoid, a secondcontact pivotally carried by said core, a handle secured to the secondcontact and extending through the hood for pivoting the second contacton said core, the second contact being mounted over the vibratorycontact, a switch, said solenoid being in circuit with said switch andthe contacts, and means for applying electric power to said circuitwhereby sparks are produced between the contacts, said vibratory contactbeing formed with wings having pointed ends, said vibratory contacthaving a pointed free end normally in contact with the second contact inone position of the second contact to produce sparks of high .intensityin a narrow field, the pointed ends of the wings being normally incontact with the second contact with the pointed free end of thevibratory contact spaced from the second contact in another position ofthe second contact on the support to produce sparks in a wide field.

3. An electrical igniter comprising a hollow tubular casing, a hoodmounting over one end of the casing, said hood having a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced aper tures therein, a core mounted within thecasing, a solenoid carried by said core, a vibratory contact mounted forreciprocation in the solenoid and having a contact point, spring meansurging said vibratory contact outwardly from the solenoid, a secondcontact pivotally carried by said core, a handle secured to the secondcontact and extending through the hood for pivoting the second contacton said core, the second contact being mounted over the vibratorycontact, a switch, said solenoid being in circuit with said switch andthe contacts, and means for applying electric power to said circuitwhereby sparks are produced between the contacts, said vibratory contactbeing formed with wings having pointed ends, said vibratory contacthaving a pointed free end normally in contact with the second contact inone position of the second contact to produce sparks of high intensityin a narrow field, the pointed ends of the wings being normally incontact with the second contact with the pointed free end of thevibratory contact spaced from the second contact in another position ofthe second contact on the support to produce sparks in a wide field,certain of said apertures being round for admitting a cylindricalarticle to be ignited by the sparks generated at the ends of the wingswhen said second contact is in said other position, said'second contactblocln'n entry of said article through said apertureswhen'in said oneposition.

, References Cited'in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,725,718 Sheets 'et a1 Dec. 6, 1955 1 FOREIGN PATENTS 896,439 FranceFeb. 21, 1945 Great Britain Aug. 30, 1948-

